


A Hero By Any Other Name

by Uylisis



Series: Walk Tall And Hit Hard [1]
Category: Mass Effect - All Media Types, Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Angst, Canon Compliant, Colonist (Mass Effect), F/M, Hurt/Comfort, It Gets Worse Before It Gets Better, M/M, Mass Effect 1, Multi, Slow Burn, War Hero (Mass Effect), mostly - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-31
Updated: 2019-03-31
Packaged: 2019-12-29 22:58:32
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18303503
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Uylisis/pseuds/Uylisis
Summary: Everyone has a title or a name for the Hero of the Cidital. But does anyone truly know him?Or the snapshots of Shepard's life told by the different titles he's gotten.





	A Hero By Any Other Name

**Author's Note:**

> Whew, I finally finished this chapter. It kind of went on longer than I would have liked but it just all flowed out. Let me know what you all think~! I will be going through each game until the conclusion with 3. Adrian's story mostly follows along with the general plot with just a few changes made.
> 
> This first chapter was greatly inspired by You Don't have to (Say Yes). If you haven't read it, please do~!

The beginning of the assault on Mindoir felt like they were happening in burst snapshots. One blink, the sky darkens. Next, the Baterian ships are clouding the mid-day sky. Then finally Mindoir is on  _fire_...

 

In some instances, the hail fire raining down did look beautiful in its destruction. However, the stench of gore and burning bodies soon erased that and the Baterian invasion of Mindoir had begun.

 

***

 

The alliance forces which were present on Mindoir lasted all about a day and a half before they were wiped off. The colonist was culled in large groups, however, some of the "unlucky ones" had been  _chosen_ to become slaves.

 

The horrific nightmarish noises and cries which echoed some nights were daunting. 

 

The Baterians were searching for something, which for the most part became obvious as they didn't seem inclined to leave even after a half of the colony was either wiped out or captured. They were thorough and painstakingly meticulous. They combed through the planet settlement by settlement, turning over every rock and stone. It wasn't long however when they found what they were looking for.

 

A small outpost which for the most part appeared to be another farming settlement but the buildings there were notable distinctive and also were very much more advanced than others.  _Oh,_ and the squadron of N7s was a bit of a dead giveaway. Because you see the Alliance in all it's shining glory has a wide range of skeletons in its closet. And this compound is one of the bigger ones.

 

You see to most Mindoir is a small, barely notable farming colony which had nothing else going for it. For the most part, everyone would have written this off as the Baterian's outstretching their hand to help the human understand their place in the world. And for the most part, you would be correct.  _However_ , the Alliance hid a dirty little secret within Mindoir which they hoped would remain until they felt otherwise.

 

This dirty secret took on the form of 9 children ranging between the ages of 12 to 16 years of age with biotic abilities unheard of.

 

***

 

Project Insight as it was called was the "study and documentary of biotic abilities at a greater scale." Which in  _actual_  terms means that the Alliance has extremely powerful tools in which they wanted to turn into proper weapons of destruction. These 9 children were all noted for their extreme biotic potential - Alexandra and Luke Garner, Izumo Hirota, Sofia Motez, Xavier Arias, Adrian Shepard, Shaneil Campbell, Erik Dassler and finally Billy Santiago.

 

The children were all rather tight niche although being confined the compound had a  _vast_  influence on that. Each child was unique in their own way - from Alex and Luke's constant sibling rivalry of always trying to one-up the other, Sofia's soft-spoken and gentle ways to Shepard's ( _Don't even call him by his first name_ ) rough around the edges attitude towards anyone.

 

Their _abilities_ , however, made you realize that they were the embodiment of human-shaped warheads.

 

***

 

"You can't  _honestly_  be serious right now?"

 

Doctor Karen Marshall, or Doctor K as Shepard liked to her call her stomped over to Lieutenant (LT) Ryker Allens, the lead alliance operative at Project Insight. He had been speaking with another operative, low murmurs of either battle plans or strategies. The scientist and the children of Project Insight and what remained of the alliance on Mindoir were stations deep within the compound however the booming sounds coming from all around signaled that it would not remain that way for long. With their conversation clearly interrupted both Ryker and the other operative looked to Karen, her eyes burning holes into Ryker. He then waves the other operative away before addressing her.  

 

"Karen-" Ryker start, letting out a long-suffering sigh.

 

"Do not  _Karen_  me! What is taking the alliance so long!?" Karen practically screeches.

 

Everyone else except the children is watching the exchange with mild interest. Karen's eldest daughter Stacy was clutching her younger sister Jaime as she tried to stifle her fearful cries.

 

Jaime was only 5 years old and was very much scared out of her mind.

 

Ryker turned to Karen with a small smile which was pulled too tight to be kind. "My only objective was them,  _I_  made a judgment call to even rescue you and all you little scientist friends. Cause I figured that  _maybe_ the Alliance might want their prized doctors and scientist to be all in one piece."

 

Karen's jaw made a soft click as she ground her teeth, trying hard not to make any comment during his speech. He was right and she knew it. She looked away for a second, her eyes quickly drifting to her colleagues who all smartly refused to meet her eye.

 

"Fine, what do  _you_ think we should do. Because if I remember hearing you correctly, those N7 out there, will not last another day!"

 

Ryker let out another sigh as he rubs his head over the back of his neck. "I know what I said but we don't have a lot of options."

 

"Then we just bucker down. Stay here and wait until the Alliance sends back up and-"

 

Ryker slams his hands down and turns to her, face stern and eyes narrowed. "Stay here? Are you out of your fucking mind? We are pinned down here and don't have enough resources to keep ourselves alive longer than a few days. We have zero ideas when the alliance is even going to come! We leave today, we have more than enough firepower to deal with this."

 

Ryker's eyes drift to the back of the room where the 9 children were huddled at.

 

Shepard's eyes greeted him back, cold and unforgiving. It was well known among both the children and staff that Shepard was the unspoken leader of the group, given both his personality and also his older age. Even Erik whom Shepard is in a constant fight with knew to fall in line with his orders. 

 

Shepard was viciously protective of the others and never let any of the soldiers or doctors push the younger ones past their breaking point. He would stand taller to appear as menacing as possible and glare at anyone who was in a 5-meter radius.

 

Erik who was second oldest, acted as a diligent second in command, gruff and stern but softens around the younger ones. A big teddy bear, Sofia jokingly calls him around the younger ones.

 

Sofia acted as a mother would, kind and gentle and did her best to also brighten everyone's day even grumpy Shepard.

 

The rest of the children acted their age respectfully, well except for Billy. " _Pretty Billy_ " as most of the others would call him. A pretty boy by any description who had a nasty habit of getting himself into all kinds of trouble. He fit strangely well between the sternness of both Erik and Shepard and the tenderness of Sofia. They kept the other alive and sane which was something they really needed at this moment.

 

"..I'm scared.." Shaneil whimpered out as she curled up further.

 

Sofia's soft smile helps but her eyes show too much worry. "Everythings going to be okay Shaneil, alright?" She says, rubbing Shaneil's back in small gentle circles.

 

"You know they gonna want us to spearhead through all this shit?" Erik's grunts out in a mumble to Shepard.

 

Shepard is well aware of what is going to happen next. He's been running over situation after situation in his head ever since the assault started. ( _We make a break for is mid-way through, Sofia keeps her shields up, face the Baterian group and die- Try again_ )

 

"I know."

 

"You know that they are not ready. You, me and Soph? Yeah. Billy? Maybe but then the rest of them will be cannon fodder." Erik's fist clenches tighter around his arm as he glares out at the staff and alliance operatives.

 

Shepard turns quickly, his dark brown eyes burning into Erik "I  _know_. Which is  _why_ the three of us keep watch,  no matter what we don't let them divide us." Shepard said softly but firm.

 

Erik just nods, his eyes drifting back to the staff, slowing slightly on the Alliance soldiers.

 

"And what about them?" He said with a tilt of his head.

 

Shepard let out a grunt, a nasty sneer appearing on his face.

 

"I couldn't care less about what happens to them. Stick to the plan, watch over the others." Shepard said.

 

Erik simple nods before venturing off towards the rest of the kids. Shepard throws a quick look back, his eyes instantly meeting Sofia's. They didn't need to speak to understand each other. Shepard was  _going_  to make sure they made it out of here. He's never failed them before and he was not about to start now.

 

****

 

It's _amusing_ however **quickly** a well-versed, thought out plan can go ass up more quickly than you can blink.

 

Shepard had planned out all the possible contingencies, of who was easier to expend from the group of staff and how to guide the kids around so that they always remained out of sight. Even down to which one of them to kill if they tried to take away one of the kids. 

 

Everything was planned out.

 

What was made it  _even_ more painstakingly entertaining was that the plan was betrayed by the most  _stupidly_  obvious person in the group.

 

The group had escaped from the compound with limited difficulty. There was an emergency exit that ran underground and leads away from the compound. It should've been obvious to Shepard when they emerged back to the surface to just woods and silence that something was wrong. ( _Stupid, stupid! How could you miss this_?!) And as they arrived at an open clearing in what appeared to be a forest. And the only sounds that could be heard in the distance are fighting and guns discharging. But it's far off and muffled. Shapard overlooks his group, the younger once are scared but stable, Erik's eyes were scanning around like a Hawk and Sofia was comforting the others. They were going to make it out, they were-

 

The deafening sounds of a weapon discharge made almost everyone heart drop into their stomach. The body of one of the Alliance soldiers with them dropped loudly and quick to the ground. And for a few seconds, nothing happened.

 

Nobody moves, nobody blinked, just nothing. And then...

 

All hell breaks loose-

 

Some of the scientists are screaming and scampering away from the dead body. Jaime's little cry evolve into full-on screaming and the young children are all wide-eyed and absolutely traumatized.

 

On the other side of the body where the shot came from is LT Ryker.

 

LT Ryker didn't have the expression of a man who just shot and murdered someone in cold blood just a few seconds ago. His body language was open and loose, the hairs on the back of Shepard's neck stood on edge. This man was  **dangerous**.

 

"What the hell are you doing.." Karen asked though it was obvious she really didn't want the answer as she was slowing backing away pushing her daughters behind her.

 

Ryker gave a small smile "Getting paid, which is quite unfortunate for you all..."

 

Suddenly behind him, a group of Baterian emerged from the tree line. You could hear a pin drop with how quiet it was, Shepard could feel his blood crawling in his veins. His heart racing, everyone's going to die- _everyonegoingtodie_!

 

And that is when the gunfire started.

 

The deafening sound to the bullets and screams were all around.

 

Bodies dropped and blood pooled. Chaos ensued.

 

The children scattered. Sofia, Erik, and Shepard did their best to keep them together but there was just too much chaos. It wasn't until they after fleeing their area that they notice one fo the kids missing.

 

"Where the hell is Billy?!" Sofia asks in a frantic tone and breathless tone, her head snapping back and forth as she scanned the area.

 

Shepard turned Sofia to him, she was panicking. She couldn't be panicking right now."Sofia you can't stay here okay, find somewhere safe. I'll get Billy okay. Erik, you stay with them and guard them with your life."

 

"And what about you?! If you-" She was speaking faster than she could breathe, her word coming out choppy and uneven.

 

"Sofia!" He yelled out, slapped both of his hands on her cheeks. She flinched heavily before finally looking back, the panic was still there but at least controlled. "They need you to be calm and collect. If you panic, all of them are dead to do understand me?" He punctuated his words with short pauses.

 

Sophia nodded slow and shaky but she understood. Her eyes hardened and she took in a deep breath.

 

Not perfect but she was stable and that was all the mattered.

 

"I will find you okay? Don't worry about that." He said. Sophia nodded, she never had a doubt of that, Shepard would find them.

 

As soon as he let go, Sophia rounded up the kids and both her and Erik moved them further out then out of sight into the forest. Shepard took a few moments before turning and running back in the direction of the exit point. He kept lower to the ground as he could hear the rustling of trackers, more than likely looking for him and the rest.

 

As he neared by towards the clearing, the hot stench of gore and blood attacked his nose. He clenched a hand over his face, forcing down the urge to puke and pressed forward. So no Billy, which was both a good and bad thing.

 

Good due to the fact that Baterian hasn't found him yet and bad because neither could he.

 

He combed to the forest around the clearing trying desperately not to be seen. ( _Where the hell are you, Billy_ ) One wrong step or misplaced branch was all it would take for him to be found. However, the sudden and loud rustle of bush up ahead made his head snap up.

 

There was Billy, blue eyes wide in fear and running for his life. Two Baterian troops right after him.

 

A crackly of white noise rang in Shepard's head as the fear curled up into his stomach. 

 

They are  **going** to kill Billy

 

He needs to move-

 

BillyBillyBILLY-

 

Move!!-

 

One second he was crouched among some bushes and the next he was in front of the Baterians. The cackle of his biotics dancing in the air and the hum of his implant burned in his head.

 

The world slowed down. He  **had**  to kill them, no other way. (Need to save Billy, kill them-  _killthemnow_!)

 

The Baterian bodies dropped to the ground, the wet slap of their dead bodies was the only noise that could be heard now.

 

Shepard could feel Billy's eyes burning in his back, and the cooling, molasses-like feeling of blood running down his arms.

 

The white noise was now a fanfare, it was so _loud_...

 

He had killed them.

 

Shove his hand through them like they were made of paper.

 

He didn't even know he was shaking like a leaf until Billy grabbed him. His voice was far away but his face was right there.

 

"....epard...You..ake..up!"

 

The blood felt like little ants crawling all over his skin. 

 

He had killed them.

 

He had never killed before...

 

The urge to throw up came on him fast then he could stop it.

 

"Adrian!"

 

Billy's voice rang so clear, given that he had just yelled directly in his ear. Shepard slowly turned to him. Young and scared, Billy's bright blue eyes were just as bright as ever.

 

"We need to move Adrian, we can't stay here." Billy said slowly, his eyes searching Shepards.

 

He was right, they couldn't stay there.

 

They need to move, get back to the other.

 

Shepard  _had_ to protect them.

 

"R..right" He croaked out.

 

Slowly Shepard's body came back to him. Taking a deep breath and stalling off the response of panic and revulsion. It took a few minutes but soon the usually stone-cold expression was back. 

 

Shepard was back.

 

"Come on, I will lead us back to them." He said, his voice steady and gruff.

 

Billy nodded without even a hint of hesitation. He knew Shepard would keep them alive, no matter what.

 

As they walk back towards the direction, the white noise, for the most part, was gone but still in the back of his head, it was there. Persistent, like a fly that won't go away. As they finally regrouped with the rest of their small band, a stray thought quickly brushed through Shepard's mind.

 

He has just murdered someone at the tender age of 16 and he wasn't sure if he could do it again.

 

***

 

Turns out killing someone a second time does in some sense get easier.

 

It had been at least 2 days since the betrayal in the forest. And for the most part, Shepard and the rest had remained unseen.

 

For the most part,  _until_  they unexpectedly crossed paths with a roaming patrol that was clearly looking for them.

 

Shepard leap before he even thought, sending a throw in their direction. Erik followed up but he  _hesitated_. He  _fucking_  hesita-

 

A loud shot rang out and down went Sophia.

 

Everything enveloped into chaos after that.

 

Shepard had just finished off the last of the soldiers and was now stomping over the where the rest were. Fortunate would have that Sophia was only grazed in the leg.

 

She should have had her barriers up, Shepard told her to have them up!

 

And Erik's hesitation almost cost them their lives.

 

"What the  _fuck_  was that." He hissed out, his voice cold enough to freeze water, his dark brown eyes trained on Erik.

 

Erik at least had the decency to appeared guilty. He knew he had hesitated. He wasn't supposed to hesitate but-

 

"I said, the fuck was that _ERIK_." The absolute rage in Shepard's voice was enough to make anyone flinch.

 

"Shepard-"

 

Shepard instantly turned to Sophia, her sadden expression would do nothing to cull his anger. "And you Sophia, I told you to keep your shields up!"

 

Both smartly said nothing, and Shepard knew, he understood.

 

They were young, they were all  _painfully_  young.

 

They weren't like him.

 

He had killed already, twice now to be fair.

 

It made it...  _easier_.

 

"Do not  _ever_  hesitate again, you hesitate or don't listen to what I say. And we are ALL dead."

 

"Come on, Shep. It's okay we're all fine an-" Billy tried to lighten the mood.

 

Shepard opened his mouth to respond but then a sudden rustle made them all freeze.

 

It wasn't close but it was fast approaching. Everyone quickly moved while Shepard stood ready.

 

Whoever it was would be dead before they even-

 

Out the trees stumbled Doctor Karen and both of her daughters. Karen looked worst for wear, her face was covered in dirt and she had sustained cuts all over. Her daughters were in similar appearance, the young was softly whimpering and clinging desperately to her older sister.

 

Karen took one look at Shepard then the blood on him then at the bodies and back.

 

And for a few seconds, no one moved or breath.

 

Then Shepard took a step forward.

 

Karen shot her hands up, moving further in front of her daughters. "Wait,  _wait_  Shepard! We are not the enemy here."

 

"I honestly don't care, leave."

 

Karen's eyes dart to the side where the kids are before return to his. Her mind going a mile a minute.

 

"Please, we just want to be safe. I know- I know you owe me nothing but I have my daughters here Shepard.  _Please_ "

 

She could be lying- He would never know (Get rid of them, they are a liability- doitnow)

 

" _Shepard_..." Sophia's voice was closer than he thought.

 

Her hands gripped his arm as she turns him to her.

 

Sweet, soft-hearted Sophia.

 

And so that is how Karen and her daughters ended up with Shepard and his band.

 

***

 

At first, things were going well. Food wasn't too hard to get since the Baterians were more focused on human life than anything. The first few days were fine, better than Shepard even expected.

 

They had been dividing up the duties, making sure to keep in groups of two at all times.

 

It was working...

 

Until it _didn't_

 

It all started late at night, about a week and a half since everything began. Mindoir wasn't known for its good temperatures especially with the fact that they were only wearing the same clothing that they had been since it started.

 

Shaneil had gotten sick. Deadly sick.

 

It started with her throwing up nonstop one morning. And then evolved into full body shivers and coughing fits that shook her tiny body.

 

"Do something!! You are a scientist!" Shepard yells at Karen, pointing the Shaneil.

 

"Yes, a scientist, not a doctor!"

 

Shepard roughly grabs her. Her eldest daughter stiffens up, not know what to do.

 

" _ **Fix her**_."

 

"I  _can't_ , we-we need medicine and- wait. I-I think we are near a settlement!" Karen said as she was scanning the area.

 

"You're lying."

 

"No!  _No_ , I'm not. I swear. We've been traveling south this whole time. I know there was another settlement nearby to ours."

 

Shepard seemed to search her face for a few moments, scanning for a tell or a lie. He then drops her without warning.

 

"Fine, then we are going to find it."

 

It takes her a few minutes to fully process what Shepard had said.

 

"Wa-wait  _we_? You're taking me?"

 

The look in his eyes when he glared down at her made her full body flinch. Those weren't the eyes of a 16-year-old boy. No, they were too hollow and haunted for that.

 

"Yes, you are coming with me. You think I was going to leave you, with them?"

 

Karen clenched her teeth, no this was no longer the little boy she remembers.

 

"Mom...-" Her daughter wants to protest, she's too seen the look in his eyes.

 

She knew if her mother went with him it was highly likely she wasn't going to come back.

 

"No, it's fine. We will go and we will get the medicine."

 

Shepard didn't even try to help her up, just walked off to the others.

 

***

 

It didn't take long to find the settlement, the scent of burning and oil were heavy in the air. From where they were, they could see that the settlement had been swept clean. Bodies littered the ground and blood was splatter here and there. But no Baterians, at least for now.

 

"That building over there, I believe was where Doctor Nadia worked."

 

Karen started to move forward before being violently pulled back into the dirt. Her head snapping in Shepard direction.

 

"What the hell are-"

 

"Are you out of your god damn mind?"

 

"What are we waiting for, every second count here!"

 

"Use your  _fucking_  brain doc. You honestly think the Baterians have left?!"

 

"What are you talking about?! Why in the hell would they still be-"

 

"For us!"

 

Shepard's hissed words drilled deep.

 

"I- what are  you-"

 

Shepard's face morphs with a sneer. "You can act dumb doc but don't be naive." His words cut through the air like a knife. "You think this is a simple invasion? Do you think that the Baterian give a rats ass about any of these colonies? No, that is just an added bonus. No, they are searching for us. And every stupid and half-cocked plan will bring them closer and closer to that goal."

 

Karen couldn't look away. Shepard's eyes felt like they were looking right through her.

 

She _wasn't_ stupid, she knew in the back of her mind. But she just thought-

 

"I..."

 

"You follow my lead and my commands doc. If you so much as hesitate or deviate, I will leave you."

 

Shepard's eyes will probably haunt Karen for the rest of her life. She knew then and there that for sure.

 

Shepard was no longer a little boy.

 

***

 

Getting the settlement wasn't hard, however just as Shepard stated the Baterian's hadn't completed let the compound. It was maybe only 4 of them, but these ones were different. Larger size, and appeared better trained than the others.

 

Shepard knew he would not win if it devolved into a fight.

 

They did their best to navigate without detection. They made it to the building and began grabbing what was needed.

 

"Hurry."

 

"Ju-just give me a minute."

 

A creak sounded from the entrance.

 

They both looked at each other and then back at the door.

 

They quickly and as quietly as possible ducked out sight just was the door slide open. In walked the largest Bartian Shepard had seen yet, and the only one he truly didn't want to have to fight if worst came to worst.

 

There was a nasty assortment of scars running down his body and face. His hands were steady and tightly gripping his automatic rifle.

 

He began to move around the room.

 

Back and forth, they ducked out the way. And just when they were by the door, Karen accidentally kicks a stray vial which was tossed to the floor.

 

Everyone froze, the Baterian let out a growl as his footsteps became louder. 

 

He was going to find them- (He too large, and space is limited, this is how Shepard dies)

 

Karen then does the unthinkable.

 

She stands up.

 

Shepard could only watch as she stood, hand up in defense. The Baterian seemed to grunt and point his weapon at her.

 

"P-please. I'm- I'm unarmed and-"

 

He then grabbed her roughly, she was screaming all the way through. But for a moment her eyes met Shepards.

 

She was residing to her fate. But her eyes kept darting down.

 

A case of what appeared to be medicine under the desk she had been caught nearby.

 

The Baterian moved her more to the middle of the room, out of his line of vision. The others soon joined. They grunted back and forth, the sounds of Karen pleading for her life was all Shepard could hear. 

 

That white noise returned with fervor and Shepard's stomach felt like it was in a blender.

 

Suddenly it had gotten quiet, Karens pleads had died down to whimpers as the Baterian's continued to talk. 

 

Then suddenly the sound the ripping clothing rang out like a gunshot.

 

Karen's scream took on a hysterical vibe as she was clearly struggling.

 

Every part of Shepard's body ran cold.

 

 _They were going to rap_ -

 

He had to stop them! He- he had to-

 

But the medicine was _right there_

 

_Hehadto-_

 

Shepard moved forward, silently even as the noises grew louder and more haunting. He made it up to the desk the medicine was in hand.

 

And then he looked up.

 

From where he was, he couldn't necessarily see what they were doing to Karen but it didn't  _fucking_  matter.

 

He knew.

 

Her face was bloodied and her eyes were hollow. But she was looking right at him.

 

Live, her eyes said even though they were dead in all the ways that mattered.

 

Shepard grabbed the case and left the building as silently as he could. Knowing that no matter hold long he lives, whether he gets off of this place or not. 

 

This moment would haunt him for his whole life.

 

***

 

He wasn't quite sure what he was thinking when he pictures the arrival back. A naive and stupid ideal that the group, scared but safe would all run out to greet him.

 

It was a stupid, childish and delusional dream.

 

The idea was quickly dashed upon what he did see.

 

An arrangement of bodies both Baterian and a few of his own. Erik was laid out, staring soullessly at the sky, his blood pooling in the dirt. The other smaller form of Izumo laid crumbled to the side, burns to decorate one side of his body. He could hear the whimpers of the others in the distance and he ran over.

 

"What the hell happened?!"

 

Everyone turned to him, eyes polluted with tears and that's when he saw.

 

Sophia lying there, with a rapidly large pool of blood forming under her.

 

Karen eldest's Maria or something had been calling out to him but he couldn't hear her.

 

SophiaSophia-

 

Her eyes weakly met his as approached.

 

"A-dian, I- I'm s-rry." Her voice was being chocked by the blood.

 

He had to save her. 

 

But how-  _How_!

 

She was going to die

 

Everyone was dying

 

He failed them.

 

He didn't even notice at the time but Sophia had been cradling the small body of Shaneil. Her chest wasn't moving and her body was pale.

 

He had **failed** them.

 

***

 

After that, the world felt bland and colorless. Shepard did his best to keep the rest alive but it was just delaying the inevitable. Soon it was just him and little Jaime. Wandering the endless war zone that was Mindor.

 

It had been almost a month since the attack began.

 

And Shepard was at the end of his rope.

 

Then suddenly as if summoned an Alliance cruiser appears and there is a man reaching out to him, saying words that Shepard is too numb to hear.

 

He then being grabbed and pulled, Jaime is taken from him. He fights his hardest but the limited strength he has from eating nothing but scraps for 2 days is nothing.

 

And then the world is quiet and dark.

 

***

 

He walked up about a few weeks later and the alliance doctors is all pitiful smiles and kinds words.

 

"You are  _survivor_  son."

 

He says it like it means  _anything_  at all.

 

Shepard just stare out lifelessly. Fortunately, Jaime is nearby in a bed, the steady beeping of the heart monitor told Shepard she was okay.

 

He stood over her bed, like a watchful guard dog. Nothing would hurt her, he would make the world bleed before that.


End file.
